Self-contained beverage dispenser
OwnerDavid J. Fire, William S. Credleinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable beverage dispenser includes a portable ice chest, a dispensing valve device, a pressurization system, and a line system. The line system couples one or more beverage containers in the ice chest to the pressurization system through one or more gas lines, and couples the beverage containers to the dispensing valve device through one or more beverage lines. Actuating the dispensing valve device opens a valve and allows the beverage to flow into a cup under force of the pressurization system. A retractor, such as a spring-loaded reel, can also be included to facilitate keeping the dispensing valve device close to the ice chest when not in use.
Claims13
A beverage dispenser, comprising:
- an insulated portable ice chest;
- a pressurization system having a portion disposed inside the ice chest coupleable to at least one beverage container inside the ice chest;
- a line system comprising a plurality of beverage lines, a first end of each beverage line of the plurality coupleable to a beverage container in the ice chest;
- and
- a manually operable dispensing valve device disposed outside the ice chest and coupleable to a second end of each beverage line of the plurality, the dispensing valve device comprising a multi-product valve assembly having a plurality of manually operable buttons and a corresponding plurality of valves, each button coupled to a corresponding valve to dispense a corresponding beverage.
A beverage dispenser, comprising:
- an insulated portable ice chest;
- a pressurization system having a portion disposed inside the ice chest coupleable to at least one beverage container inside the ice chest;
- a line system comprising at least one beverage line, a first end of the beverage line coupleable to a beverage container in the ice chest;
- a dispensing valve device disposed outside the ice chest and coupleable to a second end of the beverage line for dispensing at least one beverage from the beverage container through the dispensing valve device;
- and
- a retractor coupled to the dispensing valve device to apply a retracting force to the dispensing valve device, wherein in a retracted position the dispensing valve device is received in a holder on the ice chest.
A method for dispensing a beverage from a dispenser comprising an insulated portable ice chest, the method comprising:
- extending a dispensing valve device away from the ice chest against a force exerted by a retractor;
- actuating the dispensing valve device to cause a beverage to flow from a container in the ice chest through a beverage line and out of the dispensing valve device;
- and
- causing the retractor to retract the dispensing valve device toward the ice chest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.